Goals, Pyush, and Trees

Of the four classes on my schedule this semester at Kathmandu University, two of them seem very interesting, so I have agreed with my program director that I will take only these courses, and spend the rest of my time being a better Ambassador of Goodwill. The two interesting courses are: "Public Policy" and "Population, Development, and Natural Resource Linkages." Both courses have already filled my head with new thoughts and ideas.

A few days ago my friend Safal invited me to his home to spend a few hours and visit with his mother who was in town from Pokhara. The visit was very pleasant and I was even offered home grown tea and popcorn from the Ghimire home in Pokhara. Safal handed me a book called, "You Can Win," and, though generally I find such books distasteful, I decided to flip to the section on goals. I'm sorry if I misrepresent the words and ideas of the author, Shiv Khera, but I'll try my best to summarize his ideas and my responses. He says that if we have no goals then we will never accomplish anything or go anywhere. I'm not completely convinced that this is true, but I decided to keep reading. Khera then said that, in order to define our goals, we must first define what success means to us.

My definition of success includes happiness, health, meaningful relationships, financial security, and maintaining a positive attitude. Many of these indicators of success seem to be maintained through my practice of meditation. However, I realized that if I identify a few skills that I could acquire, both for income and for pleasure, that could contribute to me achieving a greater level of success, then I would be more likely to achieve my goals. So I made a list of smaller goals that seem achievable. Here they are:
* Serving & Volunteering
* Creating art, playing music, learning the banjo
* Building bread ovens and biogas systems
* Vehicle repair and maintenance
* Storytelling & Listening
* Cooking
* Learning/Teaching Yoga and Meditation
* Singing & Dancing
* Sustainable Agriculture

Also floating around in my mind are thoughts of long-term goals that I might like to pursue. Paul and I have been talking about starting a farm on some property that his family owns in central California. We would make a point to employ young people who are being emancipated from the state after going through residential treatment facilities. Paul is really excited about the idea and it is something we will continue talking about about planning during this year. I've also been thinking about getting into counseling or therapy.

In order to achieve my goals of spending more time in service and volunteering, this week I spent a day planting trees in the town of Banepa. I also spent a day packaging Pyush, a chlorine solution, which will be sent to Western Nepal for a Cholera epidemic that broke out about a month and half back. A Nepali friend of mine got together with his friends and decided that the town of Banepa needed more trees. So they organized, petitioned people, got some support, and started planning. I called my friends and went with a crew of 7 to shovel, pick, and carry for the day. Despite the rain, we all had a great time and I look forward to going back to help plant the rest of the 700 trees intended for the main highway. Check out the pictures in the new album under the "Links from Nepal" box.

The Pyush project was also very interesting. Cholera had disappeared from Nepal 10 years ago, and now it has come back with a force. This organization has already sent at least 5,000 little bottles of the solution, each of which can clean about 600 liters of water. They are in the process of packaging thousands more, but they need a lot of people power to do all the packaging. This week I plan to help plant more trees and package more Pyush. I am also talking with my home Rotary Club to see if they can offer some financial assistance to ENPHO, the organization that is heading up the Pyush project.

That's all for now. Thanks for reading!

Nagarkot and Shantaram

This weekend a small Manchester College reunion took place in the village of Nagarkot, about two hours outside Kathmandu. Paul Sparks, Dawa Sherpa, Kashish Das Shrestha and I, along with a few other Nepali friends, spent a night in a comfortable hotel perched on the side of the mountain that Nagarkot clings to. The destination was clearly a spot for wealthier Nepalis to escape the insanity of Kathmandu, and for trekking tourists who want to enjoy a few Western comforts.

I have discussed the benefits and perils of societies and economies that have become totally dependent upon tourism. There exists a giant paradox in this dilemma: tourists bring lots of money and business, but they slowly (or very quickly) begin to change local culture, customs, and values. The general sense that I feel when I am in a town that has completely dedicated itself to serving the economic and consumer interests of travelers is that the town has no soul. Places that were described 30 years ago as friendly, rural, honest towns have been transformed into streets filled with pimps, pushers, and touts who aggressively try to convince you that you are in desperate need of their "sexy girls, hashish, and very cheapest hotel rooms."

I don't think we can implicate anyone as the certain creator of these cut throat worlds of greed and disrespect, but few of those involved are left unvictimized. The sudden introduction of foreigners with loads of money they are willing to spend quite freely inevitably creates gross inequalities within these communities. The additional demand for drugs, sex, and all things Western brings with it myriad other violent changes to these societies. Not the least of these changes is the abrupt transition from being always focused on the needs of family and friends before one's self to the very Western tendency to worry excessively about "I, me, and mine."

There are also benefits that can be identified from the advent of tourism in previously "undiscovered" places. The introduction of expanded educational facilities, increased access to drinking water, health and sanitation, and access to internet and other multimedia facilities are a few of the advantages that tourists often bring to developing places. The crux of the problem lies in weighing the costs and the benefits. I don't envy the person who has that job.

In other news, after many favorable recommendations, I have begun reading the book, "Shantaram." It's a long book, but after just 150 pages I absolutely love it. I would highly recommend it to anyone who is interested in learning more about real Indian culture or who is just looking for an amazing and enjoyable book.